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Organic Psychosyndromes due to Boxing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

John Johnson
John Johnson*
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester
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Extract

The “punch-drunk” syndrome of boxers was recognized by lay people many years before it received attention from the medical profession. The syndrome included slurred speech, ataxic gait and impaired mental function and so simulated alcoholic intoxication. Martland (1928) gave the first clinical description of its neurological and psychiatric features. These consisted of cerebellar, striatal and pyramidal signs in varying combination together with dementia and sometimes episodic psychotic behaviour. Martland stressed the psychiatric features of the syndrome, and noted that of 23 punch drunk boxers known to him, four were permanently in mental hospitals.

Type
Clinical
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 115 , Issue 518 , January 1969 , pp. 45 - 53
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1969 

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